Network devices are steered based on VHT (very high throughput) capabilities, a first radio of the plurality of radios is assigned to MU-MIMO (multiple user-multiple input/multiple output) communication. The first radio is capable of communication using MU-MIMO and is backward-compatible for communication using SU-MIMO (single user-multiple input/multiple output). A second radio of the plurality of radios is assigned to SU-MIMO communication. A connection request is received from a network device. A VHT capability of the network device is determined. The VHT capability is based on whether the network device is able to communicate using an MU-MIMO radio. Responsive to a determination that the network device is capable of MU-MIMO communication, the network device is matched to a radio capable of MU-MIMO communication. Responsive to a determination that the network device is not capable of MU-MIMO communication, the network device is matched to a radio capable of SU-MIMO communication. Transmissions are conducted between the network device and the matched radio according to the VHT capability.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer-implemented method, in an access point of a wireless network, for steering network connections between a plurality of radios on the access point with distinct VHT (very high throughput) capabilities for stations, wherein a first radio of the access point uses a first protocol of parallel communications, and the first protocol is inherently backward compatible with a second protocol of serial communication, the method comprising the steps of: receiving assignments for MU-MIMO (multiple user-multiple input/multiple output) and SU-MIMO (single user-multiple input/multiple output) services for MU-MIMO radios from a controller, wherein the controller determines assignments based on global conditions including MU-MIMO and SU-MIMO loads currently being handled by other access points in a plurality of access points; assigning a first radio of the plurality of radios to IEEE 802.11ac, wave 2 stations using MU-MIMO communication in a parallel manner, wherein the first radio continues to operate under IEEE 802.1 1ac, wave 2; assigning a second radio of the plurality of radios to dedicated to IEEE 802.11ac, wave 1 stations using SU-MIMO communication in a serial manner, wherein the second radio also continues to operate under IEEE 802.11ac, wave 2 which is inherently backward-compatible with IEEE 802.11ac, wave 1; receiving a connection request from a first station; determining a VHT capability of the first station, the VHT capability based on whether the first station is able to communicate using an MU-MIMO radio; responsive to a determination that the first station is VHT capable, matching the first station to the first radio for MU-MIMO communication, wherein responsive to a second station also determined to be VHT capable, matching the second station to the first radio for MU-MIMO communication, in a parallel manner with the first station, without waiting until the first station has completed MU-MIMO communication; responsive to a determination that the first station is not VHT capable, matching the first station to the second radio, the second radio operating to conduct transmissions using IEEE 802.11ac, wave 2 protocol, in a parallel manner, for dedicated SU-MIMO communication using IEEE 802.11, wave 2, and conducting transmissions in the IEEE 802.11, wave 1 in a serial manner, wherein responsive to the second station also determined not to be VHT capable, matching the second station to the second radio for dedicated SU-MIMO communication, in a serial manner to the first station, and waiting until the first station has completed SU-MIMO communication; and conducting transmissions between the first station and the matched radio according to the VHT capability.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the VHT capability of the first station comprises: determining the VHT capability of the first station including inspecting a frame received from the first station.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the VHT capability of the first station comprises: determining the VHT capability of the first station including receiving an indication of VHT capability from a controller in the wireless network.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second radio comprises an MU-MIMO communication capable radio that downlinks to provide SU-MIMO communication.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining that a load on the first radio assigned to MU-MIMO communication exceeds a threshold or that a throughput on the first radio is below a threshold; and matching the first station to the second radio for dedicated SU-MIMO communication despite MU-MIMO communication capability of the first station.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: reassigning at least one of: the first radio to SU-MIMO communications, and the second radio to MU-MIMO communications.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: associating the first radio with a first BSSID (basic service set identifier); and associating the second radio with a second BSSID.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving the assignments of the first and second radios from a controller.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving the assignments of the first and second radios from a controller, wherein the controller determines assignments based on global conditions associated with a plurality of access points managed by the controller, the plurality of access points including the access point and at least one other access point.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by an access point of a wireless network, performs a method for steering network connections between a plurality of radios on the access point with distinct VHT (very high throughput) capabilities for a network device, wherein a first radio of the access point uses a first protocol of parallel communications, and the first protocol is inherently backward compatible with a second protocol of serial communication, the method comprising the steps of: receiving assignments for MU-MIMO (multiple user-multiple input/multiple output) and SU-MIMO (single user-multiple input/multiple output) services for MU-MIMO radios from a controller, wherein the controller determines assignments based on global conditions including MU-MIMO and SU-MIMO loads currently being handled by other access points in a plurality of access points; assigning a first radio of the plurality of radios to IEEE 802.11ac, wave 2 stations using MU-MIMO communication in a parallel manner, wherein the first radio continues to operate under IEEE 802.1 1ac, wave 2; assigning a second radio of the plurality of radios to dedicated to IEEE 802.11ac, wave 1 stations using SU-MIMO communication in a serial manner, wherein the second radio also continues to operate under IEEE 802.11ac, wave 2 which is inherently backward-compatible with IEEE 802.11ac, wave 1; receiving a connection request from a first station; determining a VHT capability of the first station, the VHT capability based on whether the first station is able to communicate using an MU-MIMO radio; responsive to a determination that the first station is VHT capable, matching the first station to the first radio for MU-MIMO communication, wherein responsive to a second station also determined to be VHT capable, matching the second station to the first radio for MU-MIMO communication, in a parallel manner with the first station, without waiting until the first station has completed MU-MIMO communication; responsive to a determination that the first station is not VHT capable, matching the first station to the second radio, the second radio operating to conduct transmissions using IEEE 802.11ac, wave 2 protocol, in a parallel manner, for dedicated SU-MIMO communication using IEEE 802.11, wave 2, and conducting transmissions in the IEEE 802.11, wave 1 in a serial manner, wherein responsive to the second station also determined not to be VHT capable, matching the second station to the second radio for dedicated SU-MIMO communication, in a serial manner to the first station, and waiting until the first station has completed SU-MIMO communication; and conducting transmissions between the first station and the matched radio according to the VHT capability.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein in the method, determining the VHT capability of the first station comprises: determining the VHT capability of the first station including inspecting a frame received from the first station.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein in the method, determining the VHT capability of the first station comprises: determining the VHT capability of the first station including receiving an indication of VHT capability from a controller in the wireless network.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein in the method, the second radio comprises a MU-MIMO communication capable radio that downlinks to provide SU-MIMO communication.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises: determining that a load on the first radio assigned to MU-MIMO communication exceeds a threshold or that a throughput on the first radio is below a threshold; and matching the first station to the second radio for dedicated SU-MIMO communication despite MU-MIMO communication capability of the first station.
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September 10, 2014
September 4, 2018
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